Rural crime

UFU has stressed that one dog attack on-farm is one too many, particularly at a time when pregnant ewes and newborn lambs are at their most vulnerable

As the cost of livestock worrying increased by 10% to nearly £2m in 2025, farmers said the problem is only getting worse. Will livestock worrying ever get any better for the farming sector?

NFU Mutual has revealed that while incidents relating to livestock being injured or killed by dogs in the UK had cost farmers around £1.95 million in 2025, more than half of owners admitted to not putting dogs on a lead in the countryside

Barnsley Council said its Trading Standards officers had found 32 out-of-date food items for sale, spanning eleven different chilled products and totalling 581 days past their use-by date

This week's opinion from throughout the world of agriculture: Baroness Shas Sheehan, Chair of the House of Lords Environment and Climate Change Committee

Thirsk and Malton MP Kevin Hollinrake said it was disgraceful that an investigation into an on-farm burglary turned into a welfare issue after officers found 'sticky', 'dirty' and 'strong odours' emanating from the farmhouse

Agricultural waste management experts at BusinessWaste.co.uk highlight the current scale of the issue and offer guidance on what help is available to farmers and what further work is needed to deal with the issue

North Yorkshire Police said RSPB covert cameras had shown Thomas Munday entering a cage trap and striking a common buzzard with a stick, killing it, then tossing it into the front of an all-terrain vehicle and leaving

As 2025 comes to a close, NFU President Tom Bradshaw reflects on the past 12 months and the farming sector’s future in the coming year.

Lord Colgrain, commenting on the passing of the Dogs (Protection of Livestock) Amendment Bill in the House of Lords, said it could be one of the best presents for farmers this Christmas